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The Most Frustrating Part...

I'm one guy with one dog, who wants to work on getting her through MH. Because of my extremely high paying government job (sacrasm) I'm not able to be around the computer very often, and I can't seem to get into these damn tests when they open.
It's generally alright though, because I'm persistent and I find openings when people scratch and so I can get into a few tests.

Most recently I tried for two weeks to get into the Bryan-College Station test, and finally did on the day before it closed. When I went to look at the entries after the closing, I realized that because of late scratches, there were 8 spots (out of 180) that were left unfilled. Seems like everyone decided to scratch their dog at the last minute.

There have got to be more than a few folks that didn't get in, who are a little ticked off right now.

As a favor to us little guys, please make your scratches a few days in advance of the entries closing!!!

"Somehow this creature has completed my manhood; somehow, I cannot explain why, a man ought to have a dog. A man ought to have six legs; those other four legs are part of him." -G.K. Chesterton

Or don't enter dogs that you know have a good chance of scratching. They can't all be all females? It's like saving 10 spots at a theater and you know only 2 of will show up for sure. Scratches should be able to be filled the day before the catalogs are printed. About T minus 3 days before the test.

Question pennyretrieves, is the EE keeping a waiting list now? Or do you need to call everyday until close?

We have several clubs in my area that are not affiliated with MN, so I tend to just run in their tests and have no trouble getting my dog in. I have no interest in furthering the money pit AKC has created since the MN has become the driving force for MH tests.

Dawn, most of our clubs around here are MN affiliated. I guess I can't blame people for wanting to run the tests. And I'm not "anti-pro" at all. The pro guys do a good thing for the sport. But dang, sometimes it's frustrating...

"Somehow this creature has completed my manhood; somehow, I cannot explain why, a man ought to have a dog. A man ought to have six legs; those other four legs are part of him." -G.K. Chesterton

I feel your frustration. I missed out on HOT test too and I signed in at 12:20. Having a heads up on the opening didn't even help me. Good luck to all those that entered. And I wish EE would get their #$%^& straight where it shows accurate info on an event!

Just tried to enter the Mid-south test in Bruce, MS and one page shows openings and another says it's full! The HOT test has inaccurate links too. Their sure not helping make a tough situation easier by not having their programming working right.

Are you kidding me? Who the heck wants to stay up past midnight to check and see if a test is opening? This is really getting ridiculous.

What IS the avenue to offer suggestions/comments?

We've had a lot of good discussion, now it's time to do something besides bitch. We've got to come up with some sort of compromise so that clubs aren't overburdened because of lack of resources (get more workers, yes, but let's be realistic, that's going to take time because of our selfish society), and make getting into a test equitable.

Are you kidding me? Who the heck wants to stay up past midnight to check and see if a test is opening? This is really getting ridiculous.

What IS the avenue to offer suggestions/comments?

We've had a lot of good discussion, now it's time to do something besides bitch. We've got to come up with some sort of compromise so that clubs aren't overburdened because of lack of resources (get more workers, yes, but let's be realistic, that's going to take time because of our selfish society), and make getting into a test equitable.

Unbelievable.

to some extent Sue I can see club officials all across the country reading this thinking... yea right you guys are wasting your time... you're not going to change a thing.

i think there is a contingent of people who are quite happy with the current situation and the various ways they can exploit it for the benefit of themselves and friends

AKC is going to have to hear from an awful lot of people before anything is revised

writing directly to performance events is probably the best avenue for activism on the topic